OHLONE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

Video Conference Room / Fremont Campus

43600 Mission Boulevard, Fremont, CA94539

 

 

 

College Council Meeting Minutes

October 9, 2006 ADOPTED

 

MEMBERS PRESENT: Doug Treadway Sheldon Helms

Elizabeth Silva Cheryl Lambert

Deanna Walston Joanne Schultz

Leta Stagnaro Susan Myers

Jim Wright Jill Rojas

Dave Schurtz Tim Roberts

Isidore Niyongabo Tom Holcomb

 

MEMBERS ABSENT: Jimmy Dempsey

Linda Evers

Carrie Dameron

Need ASOC rep (1)

 

OPEN MEETING:

 

1. Approval of Council Minutes (09/25/06)
   
   

Motion: Moved/Schultz; Seconded/Lambert; Passed to approve the September 25, 2006 College Council minutes.

2. Sustainability Program Development

 

·         Position Announcement distributed for “Coordinator of College Sustainability” (draft)

·         Idea is to find a real "go getter" to assist with task force that will also be established. This is open to any full time employee. 50% assignment. Hoping to announce via e-mail tomorrow.

·         Question: 50%, does that mean it's exchangeable with someone’s duties as an adjunct or any other position? Yes

·         Time limit or “term” for the position? Open ended, at this time. Could evolve into a full-time position, so not setting any constraints until the program is up and running.

·         President Treadway attended national meeting with ~15 other college presidents, part of new organization / association for sustainability in higher education. Hoping to have 1,000 colleges participating a year from now in US, Canada, Mexico to pledge to reduce campus emissions by 15%. Based on Kiyoto agreement, but not that detailed. Doug representing Community Colleges in this organization. Will bring statement to College Council for endorsement. Point is to have institutions step forward into sustainable practices.

·         Health care facilities also moving in this direction. Hospitals of the future; 40 new facilities will have sustainability features.

·         Other Bay Area Community Colleges participating? Treadway: at CCIE conference (Community Colleges for Int’l Education) this past week, contacted 6 other CC presidents (West Valley, LA City, etc.), seeking leadership for sustainable practices.

 

 

3. Plan for CC Meeting @ Newark Campus

 

·         Idea of meeting in Newark before rainy/dark season, to experience Newark campus.

·         Council tour of new campus; then hold meeting at SillimanCenter.

·         Agreed on October 23rd @ NWK.

 

4. Dialogue on Accreditation Theme: Institutional Commitments

 

·         Jim Wright's blogspot is accreditationdialogue.blogspot.com and lists accreditation standards

·         Teams will come to Council meetings and interact with Council to report what they're doing related to each standard. Council will review and dialogue re: accreditation themes.

·         Specific themes: (refer to blog for details).

·         Jim then requested and recorded Council comments regarding Ohlone's “commitment to student learning”.

 

5. Board of Trustees: Agenda & Discussion of 10/11 meeting

 

• Dr. Treadway expressed appreciation to Council, SEIU, CSEA for statements of support at the 9/27 Board meeting.
• 9/27 meeting comments:
• Sheldon: Our pleasure, responsibility, and in our best interest to have supported President. Thanks to Elizabeth & Susan
• Campus coming together so strongly for this. Under fire, even with our difference, when "going gets tough", we come together.
• Susan: Stressful, but the first time it felt like a family. Support evident. Solidarity. Strengthened community, regardless of outcome.
• Faculty Senate has had meeting looking towards 10/11 meeting. Have not prepared any pre-meeting stance. Will wait and react based on what happens. Clarified that intent of resolutions was not "formal charges". Senate stands by their resolutions. Not withdrawn.
• Agenda item: Reorganization of Board Officers. Assuming that there will be action to remove current chair and elect new chair.
• Three members of board met w/legal counsel to address due process. Long meeting due to one member insisting that there needed to be formal charges. Came to agreement that
• Elected officials have very broad rights in terms of freedom of speech, very important
• If you take time & trouble to become elected official, citizens have every right to comment, criticize, but not necessarily intended as formal charges
• As board member, you have to listen to what people say.
• McMillin had put on the agenda an item of censure. Sub-committee agreed with counsel that these were not formal charges of ethics policy unless Board wanted to make charges. At this point, censure is implied censure and McMillin withdrew censure agenda item. Could be added at a future meeting, but currently withdrawn.
• Will Brunton step down rather than be pushed out? He will not be attending the meeting. He is contemplating a letter that will be read, but no knowledge at this point as to what he will do or say. If he resigns as chair, there will be a simple election. If he does not resign, Board will have to vote to have him removed.
• Statutory requirement on a calendar year basis, organizational meeting in December for following year. New members sworn in and officers selected.
• Announcement reminder including time & place. Constituent leaders will send group meeting reminders.
• Letter of Intent is also finally coming for vote at the 10/11 meeting. Striving to get that done.
• Mission statement is on agenda for approval. One board member suggesting modifications.
• Apple contract on 10/11 agenda.

 

• Board self-evaluation on 10/11 has been postponed several times. Worthy of discussion; the import of the self-evaluation, live up to agreements, hold each other accountable. Theme and lesson that they should work within own ranks to resolve issues. Self-evaluation was good dialogue, but then board as a whole did not respond to controversy that came up immediately.
• Ethics policy needed, with procedure adopted to implement. John Weed assigned responsibility, but no action has been taken. No procedure to enforce the ethics of the board. Accreditation will slam us because Board did not do anything in response to recent incidents. Weed claims he is awaiting procedure templates, which is causing delay in procedure.
• Question re: due process? Violating the code of ethics -- if there's reference to due process, what is it? Due process is required when property rights or liberty could be infringed upon (as stated in the constitution). Due process = hearing, confronting witnesses, etc. On ethics matter or censure, the question is, is there liberty or a due process right that has been deprived? Ohlone attorney says not in this case. Conflict of interest might rise to that level. Property right that might be lost would be Trustees’ seat on the Board, if allegations found true. Brunton has license as certified financial advisor. Attorney says Ohlone issue is about Brunton being a good member of the community, being honest. Not criminal and not depriving Brunton of any rights.
• If board wishes to censure, there is no need for "due process". In the absence of a procedure, they could still act.
• This is a political process, not a matter for the courts. Board needs to take care of this now.
• Question: What is this sense of reluctance on the part of the Board to address these issues? Denial? Self-protection? Reply: This board, and almost all boards, pull together to avoid exposure. In this case, Mr. Weed as an attorney is demanding due process. No duty, no need to investigate since no criminal charges alleged. Weed persists, wants investigation. Reluctance of Board to go through that process -- depositions, expense, articles. No unwillingness to confront Brunton, just discomfort with Weed's approach.
• Student question: Is there a time when Board will decide enough is enough? Yes – 3:00 on Wednesday, 10/11.
• There is a legal requirement that when agenda goes out, location for all participating members has to be included, so Brunton is not participating.
• Wright: Issue re: ethics and reluctance of Board to deal with it – there’s something behind it. Weed's reaction to notion that Bob unethical regarding Chinese delegation such an overreaction, Board ethics code says "conflict of interest AND perception of conflict of interest". Board didn't do anything about it and they were aware. Weed pushing for the need to have an investigation so it doesn't implicate Board in negligence with dealing with Brunton’s unethical behavior.
• Faculty Senate hoping discussion does not disintegrate into another "charges vs. no charges" debate. Board CAN take action Wednesday night.
• Community College League states that if President-Superintendent has a problem with a Board member, take it up with Board President. What if the problem is with the Board President?
• Lessons learned: Ohlone is a very tolerant place, but a couple board members have gone on and on with negative statements and obstructions, to the point where it's become intolerable. Stakes are high. College community has to understand that we can't be disengaged. Pay attention.

 

 

Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.

 

·       Next Council Meetings:

o        10/23 / Newark Campus site & SillimanCenter

o        11/13 / Video Conference Room

o        11/27 / Video Conference Room

o        12/11 / Video Conference Room